Revive the Tobago spirit

Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles on Wednesday evening urged Tobagonians to reflect on their individual responsibility as citizens “and purpose in their hearts to contribute to the growth, development and progress of Tobago.”

Delivering his Independence Day message at a reception at Shaw Park on Wednesday evening, Charles said now was “not the time for us to become withdrawn and oblivious to matters of governance,” urging “a personal commitment to contribute to the progress of Tobago as we seek to build this island, community by community.”

“Our environment is ripe with opportunities that did not exist ten years ago, let alone 56 years ago and therefore, I urge all of us to find our niche and maximize the potential it presents. While the tenets and meaning of Independence might remain the same as 56 years ago, the expectations, opportunities and environment are vastly different.

“As we celebrate another year of this Nation’s Independence, let us not be stuck on the emergence of our independent Nation in 1962 but instead in 2018 and beyond, let us commit to being a part of the process that determines how this nation will evolve and transform, for our benefit and the generations after us.”

Charles quoted from the first Independence Day address by TT’s first prime minister, the late Dr Eric Williams on the importance of the watchwords - Discipline, Production and Tolerance - saying that the spirit of Tobagonians over the years, has been known for strength, discipline, hard work, industry, sacrifice and a promoter of righteousness and justice.

“This is exactly the kind of spirit that we need to catapult Tobago to its full potential,” he said.

He also reviewed achievements of the THA over the last year, declaring that “it has been a beautiful year, an exciting ear, a progressive year,” and that his administration was” determined to develop Tobago further.”

Among the achievements he listed was what he described as the transformation of Studley Park quarry “to an entity that is cost effective, better managed and now operated by a special purpose company owned by the THA.”

“Since November (2017) to date, aggregate distribution is recorded at 135, 750 metric tonnes, approximately 400 percent higher than the similar period previously,” he said.

Charles cited the South West Waste Water Treatment Plant “as a clear example of our commitment to, ‘Enhancing Delivery: Strengthening Partnerships.’”

He also pointed to attempts by the THA to preserve employment, noting improvements in efficiency of the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) and the Community-Based Environment Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP).

Charles also counted as accomplishments, vocational training for Tobagonians “so that persons can become more self-sufficient, self- reliant and entrepreneurial,” and the commissioning of the Argyle Micro Enterprise Facility for small businesses. H announced that in the last quarter of this year, the Plymouth/Adventure Micro Enterprise Facility will be commissioned.

“Evidence once again that this administration is working for you,” he declared.

He also cited priority treatment for agriculture with training programmes at the Kendall Farm School and the Youth Apprenticeship Programme in Agriculture (YAPA), development of access roads through a $20m allocation from central government, and refurbishment works on the Scarborough Market. He reported that the first phase of the Scarborough Abattoir refurbishment was completed.

On tourism, he said noted challenges in maintaining and sustaining a viable tourism product and the setting up of the Tobago Tourism Agency to revive and restore this sector.

On health care, Charles noted a focus on preventative care, citing the setting up of the Policy Research and Planning Unit at the Tobago Regional Health Authority to do research on causes of cancer, turning of the sod for construction of the new Moriah Health Centre, the opening last Tuesday of the Stroke, Diabetes and Footcare Centre in Scarborough, and the recent establishment of the first licensed community residence for children at risk at Lambeau.

Charles also announced that the THA was “in the process of populating an Investment and Public Private Partnership (IP3) Unit” which would facilitate development and implementation of an accelerated Public Investment Programme.